Trip Date: July 2nd & 3rd, 2022
It was a great weekend to go out and spend a night in the woods, so Danny, Emma and I headed out to the Wenatchee National Forest to find a place to spend the night. The roadtrip started off quite hot, with blue skies and full sun making for a spectacular summer day. While temperatures were not yet soaring, it was still starting to get hot, particularily on the east side of the Cascade Mountains.
Our explorations today took us east over the White Pass on Hwy 12, North up the Yakima Canyon on Hwy 821, and then North past Ellensburn on Hwy 97. We ended up in the Swauk Forest area, North of Ellensburn around the Blewett Pass.
Due to the rain shadow cast by the mountains, the landscape on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains is typically brown and dusy. However, much to our delight, the vegation was lush and green this trip in early summer 2022.
We eventually found ourselves a dispersed campsite to spend the night miles up a lightly traveled gravel road, in the Wenatchee National Forest. It was a well used site, easily accessed off the gravel road and adjacent to a strongly flowing creek. A sign on tree declared the area was designated as a federal mining claim, with the claim name: Crazy Cat. We thought this was a great moniker and decided to name this trip “Crazy Cat Camp”
The late winter snows and ample spring rains meant the vegitation was lush and the wildflowers were out blooming in force. Danny captured quite a flower closeups, giving great examples of the deep and vibrant colors mountain wildflowers can bring.
Spring showers bring Summer Flowers
